This site was constructed to assist Shimer College alumni and students in understanding the future developments of the College. All information, thoughts, and opinions are welcome. If you'd like to join please email me at saradevil at g mail .

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Saturday, May 11, 2013

Happy 160!

Happy birthday to Shimer! If you donate this month, your donation will be matched.

Sixteen full decades have now passed since Frances Wood and Cindarella Gregory greeted their first eleven pupils in the back room of the Presbyterian Church in Mount Carroll. The local papers tell us that northern Illinois was then in its third full week of heavy rains -- explaining the endless mud through which Wood and Gregory had traveled to reach the town.

"The morning was cold and dismal," according to one account written 30
years later, "and all day long the rain fell drearily on the roof,
penetrating the weather beaten boards and leaving long lines of wet upon
the floor." The school that was to become Shimer College was open for
business, and no minor detail like the lack of an adequate building was
going to hold it up.

Very rainy, rather a bad commencement, we
however had 11 young ladies; we all remain together for the present yet
Mr. Gray offers his rooms for our own use. One of our young ladies, Miss
Pierce, has been at Rockford Seminary one & half year, wishes to
take Arithmetic, Algebra & Latin.